Art of sand washing



Aug. 6, 1929. A.'J MASON Filed April 19,1928

Patented Aug. 6, 1929. v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. MASON, OF HOMEWOOD, ILLINOIS.

ART or saw) WASHING.

Application filed April 19, 1928. Serial No. 271,235.

This invention relates to improvements 12 is provided with outlets 13 so arranged so in the art of sand Washing and is here shown in number and size that the stream will as the same may be practiced to separate any spread itself substantially evenly across the sandy material from a stream of water. For entire width of the bottom 11. The inclinaexample, the invention may be used to seption of the fiume and rate of supply may be arate phosphate sand from the mud and so that the stream will be substantially one- 55 water in a flowing fiume or stream. quarter inch deep in the flume.

By the methods as heretofore practiced, In order to prevent channeling, that is, such separation was effected by slowing down to prevent the water from flowing unevenly 1 the movement of the stream to a point at on the bottom of the flume and favoring which it carries off the lighter mud and precertain channels, where it would scour away 60 cipitates the heavier sands. Such older sand previously deposited, I may provide a methods, however, have been unsatisfactory, plurality of vertical parallel longitudinally since they require a great deal of clean water arranged partitions or strips 14, 14 serving 15 and also eventually trap much undesirable to divide the entire width of the flume into mud. a plurality of channels 15 of substantially as One of the features of my invention is the equal width. The dividing strips 1e are elimination of the undesirable features of the joined together by meansof cross bars 16 methods as heretofore practiced. to form a rigid frame which in turn may be 20 It is well known that in hydraulic dredgsuspended from above by means of a rope ing, fine sands settlein the conductive pipes, 17 and counterbalanced by a Weight 18. By 70 if they are sufiiciently long, even where the this. construction the strips 14, 14 may be stream has a velocity of fifteen feet a second. raised or lowered. At the commencement This is due to the friction of the sand drag of the operation the strips rest upon the ging along the bottom of the pipe, aided by bottom and are raised from time to time the packing of the fine pieces between the until the flume is full. They preferably are 75 larger ones, forming a clean, hard dense raised from time to time so that their lower deposit of sand finally choking the pipes. edges are a short distance below the surface Such deposit of sand may also be attributed of the accumulating deposit of sand, as

to the skin friction between the water and shown in Fig. 4.

i the wall of the pipe causing a slowing of the I have found, that at the lower end of the 0 current adjacent the wall, thus causing a flume there may be deposited certain lighter deposit of sand against the wall. In this undesirable particles which may be segremanner, the deposit of sand builds up until gated and rejected. These lighter part1cles the pipe becomes nearly choked. I employ are deposited near the end of the fiume bethis principle in carrying out my invention. cause they have a lower specific gravity and 35 In that form of device embodying the a rough flaky form. features of m invention shown in the ac- While I have shown and described certain companying rawings, Figure 1 is a perembodiments of my invention, it is to be spective View, Fig. 2 is a view as indicated understood that it is capable of many modiby the line 2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a partial secfications. Changes, therefore, in the con- 0 tional view, and Fig. 4 is a similar.view struction and arrangement may be made showing the parts in altered position. without departing from the spirit and scope As shown in the drawings, A indicates in of the invention disclosed in the appended general an inclined box or flume with the claims, in which it is my intention to claim side walls-10 and bottom 11.v B indicates the all novelty in my invention as broadly as supply pipe through which the mixed water possible in view of the prior art.

and sand are fed into the header or mani- What I claim is new, and deslre to secure fold'12 at the head of the flume. The header by Letters Patent, 1s:

1. A separating fluine with longitudinally arranged vertical partitions spaced to form narrow elongated separating channels in the fiunie, and means for adjustably controlling 5 the vertical position of the partitions.

2. A separating fiume with longitudinally arranged vertical partitions spaced to form narrow elongated separating channels in the fiume, said partitions being joined together by cross members to form a rigid unitary 10 structure, and means for adjustably controlling the vertical position of said structure.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of April, 1928.

ARTHUR a. MASON. 

